EIX, SRE, PCG: Preliminary Decision from ALJ on CA IOU’s Cost of Capital Proceeding is Largely in Tact with Two Relatively Benign Changes to the Settlement

On May 10, 2017, two assigned Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) issued a proposed decision (PD) in the cost of capital (COC) proceeding pending final decision (FD) by the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC)

The PD upholds the settlement agreement but for the following two modifications that was submitted by Southern California Edison (SCE), PG&E (PGE), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), and Southern California Gas (SCG) – all four combines (CA-IOUs) – CPUC Office of Ratepayer Advocates, and The Utility Reform Network on February 7, 2017

Instead of requiring the next COC application in two years to April 22, 2019 for 2020, the PD would require the next COC application to be filed on March 22, 2018 for 2019

The PD left open the possibility of reducing PG&E’s return on equity until recommendations made by the NorthStar Consulting Group which are adopted by the CPUC are implemented in the second phase of the CPUC’s safety culture investigation